Indian Premier League (IPL)
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) cricket league in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Ten city-based teams make up the league, which was established in 2007. Every year between March and May, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most well-known and lucrative cricket leagues worldwide.
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| Official IPL Logo | |
| Sport | Cricket |
|---|---|
| Format | Twenty20 |
| Tournament format | Double round-robin format followed by playoffs |
| Administrator | Board of Control for Cricket in India |
| Host country | India |
| First edition | 2008 |
| Latest edition | 2025 |
| Next edition | 2026 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Current champion | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (1st title) |
| Most successful | Mumbai Indians Chennai Super Kings |
| TV / Broadcast | Star Sports, JioCinema |
| Website | https://www.iplt20.com |
In India and around the world, a lot of people watch the IPL. It was the first sports league to be streamed live on YouTube in 2010. The league sold its media rights for $6.4 billion in 2023. The IPL has been around for eighteen seasons as of 2025, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru is the current champion. The Women's Premier League (WPL), the league's female equivalent, was established in 2022 and had its first season in 2023.
History
Essel Group along with IL&FS launched the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in April 2007. The ICL was not recognized by either the BCCI or the ICC which made the BCCI up its prize money in its tournaments and eventually, banned the cricketers who decided to be a part of such an unrecognized league.
On September 13, 2007, the BCCI took advantage of the ICC World Twenty20 and announced the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL was presented as a franchise-based T20 league that will begin in April 2008. Lalit Modi was the one who explained the format, teams, and revenue sharing successfully.
In January 2008, the team franchises were auctioned with the amount of over $723 million being raised. The first IPL season kicked-off in April 2008 with eight teams, including the Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The ICL did not last long and in 2009, many of its players got back their spots in BCCI by availing of the amnesty offered which ultimately led to the disbanding of the ICL.